Sunday, March 15, 2009

MAGNIFICENT INDIA

In this world, there are few if any countries that can match the magnificent history and cultural significance of India. The achievements of its civilization and its contribution to our understanding of what it is to be a human being are simply stunning. At the same time, India has been fraught with upheavals of monumental proportions and the range in living conditions and experiences among its people is likely the widest in the world. In this article, we explore the horoscope for this epic country.

A horoscope for modern India is based on the time of midnight on August 15, 1947 in Delhi when British rule ended. This time gives 7° 46' Taurus rising in the sidereal zodiac. However, before we discuss the horoscope it is better to discuss the history of the country to for better understanding of the national entity.

THE HISTORY OF INDIAThe history of India stretches into the vast unknown of antiquity. Indian artifacts dating back to as much as 500,000 years have been found, including rock paintings and cave art. By comparison, modern India possesses both nuclear and space technology.

Ancient IndiaThe pre-civilizational Mehrgarh culture, which existed from 7,000 BC is thought to have been replaced by the impressive Indus Valley civilization from around 3,300 BC. It came to an end around 1,700 BC, after the Saraswati river, the life-blood of the civilization, dried up following a tectonic shift in the Himalayan plateau, which diverted its source to other rivers.[1] A Dravidian tradition was established in south of the country in the third or second millennium BC.

Science of TantraAncient India gave birth to the science of "tantra, " which is the praxis of human enlightenment that flowered in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and other religions. This is a major contribution of Indian civilization to the world.

HinduismA high point in Indian history is the Vedic Period, which features the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the sacred texts, was documented around 1500-900 BC, but is likely much older. The philosophy of the Vedas includes astrology as one of the six limbs of enlightenment knowledge.Buddhism and JainismIn the 6th century BC another cultural development took place with the saintly lives of Gautama Buddha (563 -483 BC), the source of Buddhism and Mahaveera (599 BC), the founder of Jainism. [2] In the 3rd century BC, the emperor Ashoka spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire. From the third century AD, the Gupta dynasty oversaw India's Golden Age when the arts and sciences flourished and great temples and palaces were built.

India and the ancient worldTrade routes have existed between India and Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia from ancient times. There have also been sea routes between India and Africa over the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf and the Red Sea as well as sea routes to Europe over the Caspian and Black Seas. Through these routes goods and ideas passed from India and back. Certainly, the astrology of the Vedas has enriched and been enriched by such interaction. It may be noted that the most famous mathematical idea of Pythagoras from the 3rd century BC was already documented in 9th century BC India.

Invasions of IndiaAlexander 'the Great' and his army invaded India in the 4th century BC but did not leave a lasting impression. In the 13th century AD, the Mongol invasions began and a Sultanate was established in Delhi. The Mughal Empire, which was a Muslim imperial power, was established in 1526, when Babur conquered the Sultanate. During the early Mughal period some of the most beautiful buildings in the history of the world were erected, including the Taj Mahal in Agra.By the late 17th century, the Mughal empire extended to most of the Indian Subcontinent, but it drew to an end in the mid-19th century, with the rise of British colonial power in India.

Colonization by BritainWith growing sea-power of European countries, colonization was the next stage of India's history. The East India Company was formed in the 17th century. During the 18th century, British Rule was slowly established and it peaked with the British Raj in the mid 19th century.

Independence struggleOpposition to British rule began following the prohibition of Sati in 1829. A major effort was the first Indian war of Independence in 1857 and the formation of Indian National Congress in 1885. The struggle continued in the 20th century following the massacre at Jallianwalabagh in 1919. Nationalist figurehead Mahatma Gandhi launches anti-British civil disobedience campaign in 1920 to 1922. The Congress Party launched the Quit India Movement in 1942.

In some sense, the coup de grace for British rule in India was World War II. The war with Germany depleted Britain's military and economic might to such an extent that it became unable or unwilling to maintain its hold on power in the face of a peaceful but determined resistance by the people of India.

Independent IndiaBritish rule came to an end in 1947 as the sub-continent was divided into mainly Hindu India and Muslim-majority state of Pakistan. India became an independent republic at midnight on August 15, 1947.

THE HOROSCOPE OF INDIAThe 7° 46' Taurus rising horoscope of India, which is set for the capital city Delhi (77E13, 28N40) and time zone -5:30, should explain the present characteristics of India as a nation and be consistent with its rich history and recent events. An authentic chart also becomes the basis of accurate predictions.

Taurus ascendantAccording to the Systems' Approach, "Taurus is an earthy sign ruled by Venus, the significator for pleasures, materialistic pursuits and comforts. The Moon, the significator for caring, tenderness and affluence, is exalted in this sign. Ketu, the significator of spiritual pursuits, is debilitated in this sign. These factors render the Taureans materialistic, motherly and sensual, enjoying comfort, beauty and luxury around them, being convinced that in all circumstances they are correct." [3]

"Enjoyment of life to the fullest extent is the aim of life when Taurus is rising. They are analytical in approach, as the fifth house is ruled by Mercury. The fourth house, signifying inclinations, ruled by the planet Sun, determines their approach in life. The sign Aquarius falling in the tenth house makes these people technical and, if other planets are strong, the native may pursue an engineering course."Indeed, this ascendant seems to fit India quite well as a country. For instance, there not many countries which demonstrate such beauty and charm through their arts.

A large and active populationIndia is the second-most populous country and largest democracy in the world. The chart for India has an unusually prominent third house containing five planets and receiving two aspects. The 3rd house rules growth, enterprise, initiative, communication and transportation.

The MOON as 3rd lord is placed at 3° 58’ Cancer, in its own Moolatrikona sign. As the Moon is placed in its own house, the 3rd house, which is a sun-like house, the Moon has 100% strength in this chart, even if it is also slightly in infancy. Moreover, the Moon is conjunct the most effective point of 3rd house at 7° 46’ Cancer. While the orb of the conjunction is 3° 42’, such that the benefit of this aspect is not powerfully felt, the strength of the 3rd lord and influence in the chart nevertheless give India a phenomenally large population. Another aspect is from the Moon's node, KETU, at 5° 44’ Scorpio and 7th house to both the Moon, with an orb of 1° 46’, and to the most effective point of the 3rd house, with an orb of 2° 02'. While the strength of the Moon as 3rd lord protects it and its indications from setbacks associated with this aspect, it would likely result in a tendency for a seperate or otherworldly quality to the culture. The aspect would also produce a peculiarity to the communication and transportation activities. However, the influence of 3rd lord to its own house would outweigh this quality, giving a sense of vibrancy.

The placement of VENUS, as the lord of design, also in the 3rd house, gives phenomenal diversity. A strong 6th lord Venus, is also good for financial stability, communal health and communal harmony. A strong Venus also gives the ability to resolve conflict situations in ones favour.

A large country with abundant resourcesIndia is a large country, with a total land area of almost 3 million square kilometers - over five times the size of France. India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometers (4,671 mi). India has the largest mountains in the world and is set on large plains with big rivers and the country is hugged by a huge coastline. The country is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The main natural resources of India are iron ore, bauxite, and copper ore. India is one of the major producers of iron in the world. Electricity is generated with hydroelectric, coal and nuclear power. The diversity of architecture in India is stunning, although the country also has a large collection of huts and shacks. Astrologically, this is explained by the 4th lord SUN being placed at 27° 59’ in 3rd house, with good strength, giving large territory. Astrologer and author, V.K. Choudhry, has noted that "the fourth lord's good placement gives India tremendous resources."

Tense relations with neighborsIndia is the seventh-largest country in the world in terms of geographical area. It is bordered by Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia in the Indian Ocean. In the chart, 10th lord SATURN at 20° 28’ Cancer is combust, but its placement in a sun-like house adds to the strength, which helps to fend of problems associated with it being conjunct 6th lord VENUS at 22° 33’ Cancer. Nevertheless, controversies for the government would be there. With 5th lord MERCURY at 13° 40’ Cancer in the 3rd house, strengthens the communication. Rapid growth but many poor peopleEconomic reforms since 1991 have transformed the country into one of the fastest growing economies; however, it still suffers from high levels of poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition. There is a large gulf between the rich and poor. There is a big middle class society of the educated people. With five planets in the 3rd house gives India a dynamic economy. However, as 12th lord MARS is at 7° 27’ Gemini and in the most effective point (MEP) of the 2nd house, this makes India vulnerable to set­backs in wealth and status. The affliction of KETU to the 11th house would reduce the income. Some manipulation is possible given the aspect of Mars in 2nd house and RAHU at 5° 44’ Taurus and 1st house to the 5th house of speculation and creativity. Rahu also afflicts the 7th house of foreign affairs and 9th house of luck.

V.K. Choudhry also notes that "India is not a poor nation but has many poor people who have taken refuge in India coming from Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, etc. etc. India is supporting them."Progress in analytical fieldsIndia is a pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society. India has made good progress in the field of Information technology and other intellectuals fields. Indian professions in medical, engineering, academic, IT fields, etc. are all around the world and making good contributions to the countries of their residence. This is explained by the good placement of MERCURY in the third house with the third lord MOON. V.K. Choudhry observes that "the 3rd house planets give entrepreneurship. There are big businesses in India and some of the people are in the list of richest people in the world. Entrepreneurship and communication have given fame to Indians in many fields including in spiritual field and astrology." He also notes that "the good placement of Mercury in the 3rd house with the 3rd lord Moon in the 3rd house give good progress to India in the field of Information technology and other intellectual fields. Indian professions in medical, engineering, academic, IT fields, etc. are all around the world and making good contributions to the countries of their residence."

Spiritual traditionThe ancient religious tradition of India is a well spring of spiritual thought. Four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated there, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium BC. Astrologically, this is explained by SUN as 4th lord in the 3rd house, which is aspected by both 3rd lord MOON and KETU, would give ancient spiritual tradition. The aspect of RAHU and 6th lord MARS to the 9th house along with JUPITER in the 6th house would give strife regarding religious ideas. History of mighty kingdomsThe rich history of India is explained by SUN, MOON, MERCURY and SATURN in the 3rd house along with VENUS. Placement of 8th lord JUPITER in the 6th house gives a controversial legacy. Socialist republicFollowing independence, India became a republic and a new constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950. The preamble of the constitution defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. Astrologically, 10th lord SATURN and 3rd lord MOON with 5th lord MERCURY and 4th lord SUN in 3rd house is consistent with a democratic form of government emphasising the rights of people. Challenging developmentsSince independence, India has faced challenges from religious violence, casteism, naxalism, terrorism and regional separatist insurgencies, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast India. Since the 1990s terrorist attacks have affected many Indian cities. India has unresolved territorial disputes with China, which in 1962 escalated into the Sino-Indian War; and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999. The multiple afflictions in the chart, involving, 8th lord JUPITER, 6th lord VENUS, 12th lord MARS and the Moon's nodes, RAHU and KETU give challenges in many spheres of life, including border wars and internal strife.

A nuclear powerIn 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test and five more tests in 1998, making India a nuclear state. India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy. India maintains the third-largest military force in the world, which consists of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The President of India is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces. In the horoscope, 12th lord MARS is afflicting 2nd house of neighbors and 8th house of death, KETU afflicting 7th house of foreign relations and 3rd house of initatives and RAHU on ascendant and 8th lord JUPITER in 6th house gives power of nuclear threat.Mixed foreign relationsIndia maintains close defence cooperation with Russia, France and Israel, who are the chief suppliers of arms. Since its independence in 1947, India has maintained cordial relationships with most nations. It took a leading role in the 1950s by advocating the independence of European colonies in Africa and Asia. India was involved in two brief military interventions in neighboring countries - Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and Operation Cactus in Maldives. India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement. After the Sino-Indian War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, India's relationship with the Soviet Union warmed at the expense of ties with the United States and continued to remain so until the end of the Cold War. India has fought three wars with Pakistan, primarily over Kashmir but it also facilitated the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Additional skirmishes have taken place between the two nations particularly in 1984 over Siachen Glacier and in 1999 over Kargil. In recent years, relations between the United States and India have improved. In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other developing nations in South America, Asia and Africa. In the chart, RAHU and KETU influence 7th house of foreign relations, 12th house MARS afflicts the 2nd house of close neighbors and along with RAHU aspects the 9th house, both of which give mixed foreign relations.

MODERN HISTORICAL EVENTSA national horoscope needs to be studied with respect to significant events. It should be able to convincingly explain significant events through natal potential in the chart, period influences and transits.

Assassination of GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi is major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. He was the pioneer of satyagraha—resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, firmly founded upon ahimsa or total non-violence—which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. He is commonly known around the world as Mahatma Gandhi (Great Soul). He was assassinated at 5:17 p.m. on January 30, 1948 in Delhi, shot three times at point-blank range by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse. Gandhi was heard to utter the words, "Hai Ram [Oh God] ... Hai Ram ... Hai Ram" as he hit the ground. Gandhi was was rushed to Birla House, where he had been staying, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. Prime Minister Nehru said “it was a fanatical wing of the Hindu Mahasabha that hatched the conspiracy and saw it through.” In May 1944, Godse had lunched at Gandhi with a knife but was overpowered by onlookers and in September 1944 he was arrested near Gandhi with a concealed knife but was again released.

Saturn – Saturn period was operating in the chart. Natal 10th lord SATURN is well placed in the 3rd house in the chart but is afflicted by 6th lord VENUS. Gandhi was a strict in his ascetism and non-violence and incited mass movements. Hence, he seems to have represented this energy in the national life of India. At the moment of Gandhi’s death, transit SATURN was at 26° Cancer, closely conjunct 4th lord SUN at 27° Cancer but under aspect from transit 8th lord JUPITER at 28° Scorpio and 7th house. It is more than a coincidence that it was a group of religious fanatics that conspired to kill Gandhi as JUPITER rules religion and 6th house rules fanatical adherence to ideas. Transit KETU, the lord of sudden violent acts, was also at 26° Libra where it was conjunct natal 8th lord JUPITER at 26° Libra and both were aspecting transit 6th lord VENUS at 22° Aquarius and 10th house.

Mumbai attacksThe 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than ten coordinated shooting and bombing terrorist attacks across Mumbai, India's financial capital and its largest city. The attacks, which began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November, killed at least 173 people and wounded at least 308. The attack began at 9:20 pm on Wednesday 26 November 2008. At that time, the key malefic influence in the Taurus rising chart of India was the applying conjunction aspect of transit 6th lord VENUS at 22° 42´ Sagittarius and 8th house and transit 8th lord JUPITER was at 27° 19' Sagittarius. The orb of the conjunction at that time was around 4° 37'. The conjunction became exact in the early hours of Monday, December 1 and then began to separate, leaving the effective 5° orb on December 6. The attacks drew widespread condemnation across the world and damaged India's already strained relationship with Pakistan. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee declared that India may indulge in military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan to protect its territorial integrity. There were also after-effects on the United States's relationships with both countries, the US-led NATO war in Afghanistan, and on the Global War on Terror. Fortunately, the crisis died down as the transit affliction lifted. In late 2008, astrologer and author V. K. Choudhry predicted that "a war between India and Pakistan is not foreseen in 2009."[5]Prediction for India in 2009In early 2009, V. K. Choudhry made the following prediction for India:“The next stationary transit turn of Rahu-Ketu axis from June to August, 2009, would be around 7 degrees in Capricorn-Cancer near the ascending degree of the Indian independence chart. The Rahu-Ketu would also influence natal Rahu and Ketu and the natal Moon. Mars and Venus both being functional malefics for Indian chart would also be in Aries in the twelfth house in close conjunction between early June to first week of July, 2009.

"This transit does not augur well for the country in matters of weather, economy - including stock markets, relations with foreign countries and accidents besides being vulnerable to weather vagaries and persisting viral and allergic health problems. This period would be more uncomfortable and unfavorable for the government and females. Some new scams are likely to come to light. Even an earthquake is likely during this transit influence. The third week of June shows more chances for mishaps, accidents and setbacks for the government.”[6]

Favourable Sun period aheadOn September 14, 2009 the auspicious dual period of 4th lord SUN begins in the chart for India. The Sun period is suggestive of better governance.